Madhya Pradesh Judge Receives Death Threat, Ransom Letter Demanding ₹5 Billion

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A sitting judge at Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa allegedly received a death threat through a ransom letter demanding ₹5 billion, as reported on Thursday. 

Additionally, the letter bore the signature of a member of the notorious bandit leader Hanuman's gang - synonymous with an ill-famed dacoit gang of central India (Chambal).

As per NDTV’s report, the matter was reported to police on September 1. The letter was sent to the court of the First Civil Judge of Tyothar, Mohini Bhadoria, from Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj.

It read, “If you want to live, you have to give ₹5 billion.”

The sender further demanded the ransom to be delivered to Badgad forest in Uttar Pradesh at 7:45 pm on September 1, warning of severe consequences if the demand was not met.

One suspect identified

Startled by the threat, Judge Bhadria promptly lodged a complaint with Superintendent of Police Vivek Singh, after which a special probe team was formed. 

Investigators have already identified a suspect in Prayagraj district, and a police team has crossed into UP to apprehend him.

The case, which falls under the Sohagi police station area on the Madhya Pradesh–Uttar Pradesh border, has set off alarm bells in judicial and law enforcement circles.

With the ransom note evoking memories of India’s dacoit era, security for judges and court premises in Rewa has been stepped up.

A case has been registered under Section 308(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with extortion by threatening to falsely implicate someone in a grave offense punishable by death, life imprisonment, or up to 10 years in jail.